SMILING CALVIN HAS BEEN REPLACED BY ANGRY ALBERTHA!Is it me or are fast food restaurants getting super cheap. I was at a McDonald's drive thru when I read a sign that caught my attention. It indicated I had to ask for condiments or risk going home with some dry fries. I can remember a time when people actually smiled at McDonald's and put ketchup in your bag without asking. Now, it appears that is long gone. Smiling Calvin who freely gives ketchup has been replaced with Angry Albertha who won't give you a pepper packet unless you open your mouth and ask. I asked for ketchup and all I got was two weak a-- packets of the red stuff. If you know me, I need about 10 ketchups to get my fries right. Just a day in the life of The Insite!
As usual, I must agree. For the cost of an average order of fries, you could buy a large bag of potatoes. The least they could do is throw in a few packets of ketchup automatically.
ReplyDeleteWhile we're on the topic of bad service at the drive-thru window, what about when you order a beverage and it's all over the outside of the styrofoam cup and they don't even wipe it before handing it to you go into your car??? I've begun to ask for extra napkins and hold up the line while I clean it in front of them, or if I see it in advance of taking it, I ask them to wipe it off. I don't want sticky cola on my hands when I'm driving or in my vehicle. I don't think it's asking too much when I'm paying what it costs for a 2 liter container for a cup of mostly ice.
To combat the ketchup problem, I ask for it whether I want it or not. I'm stock piling it in my desk drawer along with hot sauce from other establishments. (My coworkers are frequently grateful).
In any case, it's a sad state of affairs when we're surprised and even grateful for what was once considered common courtesy. (Wow- now I sound old...)
Keep up the good work, Isiah. I look forward to seeing what you're up to every day ;)
This blog was a great idea.
XOX
J.
Inite!!
ReplyDeleteDamm, do you ever cook at home? first its the cafteria natzi blowing their nose, then its the domino players at Boudreaux and now its not getting condiments at Mickey Dees.
Actually, they always put too many ketchup in my bag when I don't ask for it to begin with.
What really peeves me is when they throw 5 packs of it on top of my fries. Its pisses me off because
alot of times those clumsy cashiers drop tons of them on the filty floor and just throw them in the bag. So you may wonder next time why theres weave hair in your fries.
Oh yeah one thing to note. alot of those micky dees are franchises so they have to pay for EVERYTHING.
Actually for each order of fries your supposed to get 2 packets of ketchup. anything over that will cost you a dime. Im being real about that.
Alot of the franchisees are trying to control waste.
As a former McDonalds executive, I have to tell you, the amount of money spent on ketchup is astronomical. Factor in the waste. We determined that the compan was losing millions in wasted ketchup and salt packets. It may just seem like a nickel to you, but factor in every city all over the world and it really adds up. So why give you a handful of ketchup if you're just going to throw it out?
ReplyDeleteIsiah, I feel for you.
ReplyDeleteI don't frequent McD's like I used to (something about a month of McD's every other day 12 years ago did that to me - it was the only place walking distance from work)
I had an instance one time where I went in and got my sandwich and fries, as I was waiting, I saw three different employees coat the fries with salt before I got them. Needless to say, it was the worst I had ever had.
I tried drowning them in ketchup, removing as much of the salt as I could, but it was no avail. I finally took the fries back to the counter, and told the clerk to eat them, since he and his co-workers salted them. (A manager soon intervened, and chucked the whole hopper of fries, after refunding my money).
Needless to say, I enjoy fries, and as long as they're done right, but not over salted, I use little ketchup. Over salt them, or they just aren't right, I'll take a lot more ketchup.
Like your story a few months back about the stores requiring minimum purchases on credit cards, this is one of those stories that fits in the "You Gotta Be Kidding Me" category.
About 15 years ago a buddy and I were at a Jack in the Box. A young black man was in line in front of us and had just received his order and had not received any ketchup. In a loud, deep, hate-filled voice he yells, "What the F*&$, you want me to eat em' DRY!". Til this day we laugh about this. Never knew ketchup was so important. And why must they assume you need ketchup? Some people don't eat them that way. And is it so hard to ask? At least they put a sign up letting you know to ask for them instead of letting you drive off thinking they included them. Personally I eat mine without ketchup, or as some of you say "dry".
ReplyDeleteBy the way Isiah, I thought I would never say this ...but I have to agree with JOLO. Don't you ever cook? All this eating out is beginning to show around the midsection. As the saying goes, "You got more chins than a Chinese phonebook!"